Home

“Home” is a virtual reality video artwork exploring the depopulation and lost cultural traditions of small-town, rural Japan.

Installed in an abandoned house on the edge of Nakanojo, Japan, visitors walk through the space, witnessing different scenarios playing out within its walls.

We began with a dirty, dusty house full of cobwebs in Sawatari, a small onsen village. After cleaning and airing, we set about experimenting with cameras in the space.

We had a list of scenes we wanted to capture, and through friends, family and acquaintances, we managed to assemble a cast. Over the course of two weeks, we transformed the house into a number of different homes and shot 11 different scenes, with 7 different families.

The project was filmed and installed in an abandoned home

Open for one month, the project saw more than 5,000 unique visitors. It was fascinating being able to experience the local people’s reactions to the spectacle. The project was originally exhibited at Japan’s Nakanojo Biennale in September 2017 and is now being submitted for other art festivals.